Henry lancasteb



(N0 Model.)

H. LANCASTER.

` STEAM TRAP.

f/GJ. Patented June s, 1884.

Ilma/tdi? Ella/Marek# UNITED 'STATES PATENT CEEICE.

HENRY LANCASTER, OF MANCHESTER, COUNTY OF LANCASTER, ENGLAND.

STEAM-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,809, dated June 3, 1884.

Application filed December 1l, 1883A. (No model.) Patented in England August 2, 1882, No. 3,663; in France December 2G, 1882,

No. 152,846, and in Belgium December 27, 1882, No. 59,972.

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY LANCASTER, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at Manchester, county of Lancaster, England, engineer, have invented an Improvement in Steam-Traps, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 3,663, August 2, 1882,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the steam-traps which are used to effect the discharge of the water Vof condensation from steam-pipes and apparatus in which steam is used. In my steam-trap a valve is loosely mounted upon'a' hollow screw-spindle, which is connected by means of'a hollow arm with a float.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I, drawn partly` in section, is an elevation of the steam-trap. Fig. 2, partly in section, is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the end of the spindle,with the valve represented in section.

-In Figs. I and 2, a is the metal cistern,.to one side of which is securedl the water-inlet branch b. A trap, c, which projects into the cistern, is formed as a screw-nut to suitahollow screw-spindle, d, which is connected by means of a hollow arm, e, with a hollow float, f. The end of the spindle d is separately represented on alarger scale by Fig. 3, wherein g is a valve, which is loosely mounted upon the reduced end, cl,"of the spindle d, and is kept in place by means of a screw, h. A conical shoulder, d, is formed on the end of the spindie, and thehole in the valve is countersunk or coned to correspond, so that a sufficiently steam-tight joint is formed, and the spindle is also free to turn with a minimum of friction.

The face of the valve is slightly coned, andV the valveface in b is coned ina contrary direction in order to lessen the tendency of the valve to stick fast; but this construction may be varied. Vhen the valve becomes worn on its face, it can be taken off and reversed, so as to present the other face to the seating. Slots i in the spindle open out of the chamber k into the hollow spindle. A hole, l, is formed in the lower part of the float, and water is free to enter through this hole into the float, thereby sinking it into the position indicated by the dotted lines. When in this position, the way through b is open, and water can flow through the valve-opening and the slotsiinto the float, whence it passes downward through the hole l, and also upward through a pipe, m, into the cistern, as in some other forms of steam -traps. When the steam escapes, it drives the water out of the float, thereby raising it and closing lthe valve by reason of the turning of the screw-spindle b in the nut c. It will be seen that when the valve is in contact with the seating the end of the spindle turns in the valve without the latter turning, so that the valve is tightly pressed upon the seating. The wearing of the seating and the tendency of the valve to stick are thus obviated. To divert the water issuing from the pipe m into a downward direction, I apply a concave mushroonrshaped thin metal shield, n, above the discharge-mouth of the said pipe.

I am aware that the hollow screw and the hollow fioat have been used previously to my invention; butthe apparatus has been liable to derangement in consequence of the valve used sticking fast in its seating.

I claim as my inyention- 1. The combination of the valve-seat, scgea spindle, and iioat of a steam-trap witha v/alve, g, loosely mounted on the screwspi/ndle and free to turn thereon, substamtially as and for the purpose set forth. i*

2. The combination of the valve-seat, hollow iioat, and hollow screw-spindle having a reduced end, d, and conical shoulder d, with a valve mounted but free to turn upon the end d and pressed to its seat by the turning of the said spindle, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY LANCASTER.

. Vitnesses:

'EDWARD K. DUT'roN,

ARTHUR LEDGER. 

